Motherhood

Motherhood

 Is motherhood everything I thought it would be? Yes and no. Yes, because it's all the joy and love I thought it would be. No, because you never imagine how hard it really is.There's a saying: "Motherhood is the hardest and greatest thing a woman will ever do." 

Before I had kids, I worked in childcare for almost 7 years. I was also going to school for early childhood education. I thought I knew what I was getting into. I had this motherhood thing in the bag. After all, I loved babies. I thought, "If I can take care of ten kids all day long or 4 infants, then how hard could only one be all the time?" The toddler room wasn't my favorite so I stayed away from there as much as I could. 8-10, 1 and 2 year olds in the same room was CRAZY! Oh how little I knew. Really I was only taking care of kids for 7 1/2 hours. I got an hour lunch, 2, 15 minuet breaks, and weekends off.  Watching someone else's kids is nothing like, I repeat nothing, like having your own children that you are responsible to care for 24/7.

Thinking back to when I was pregnant with my first, and so uncomfortable at the end that I didn't get much sleep, and thinking, "I can't wait until she is here." Even if I only get 2 hours of sleep at a time I will at least be comfortable. YA!  At least when you are woke up because of pain or having to pee you get to go back to sleep when you can. Once that baby comes It doesn't matter how tired you are that baby will want to be awake. So cherish that baby in the belly time. They are nice and safe in there and you have peace and quiet still.

 I don't ever wish I could go back to no kids. I love being a mom. Its just harder then I ever imaged. It's also a lot better then I ever thought. After carrying and growing a baby in my belly for 9 months, seeing them for the first time is amazing!

Now that I have 3 kids, I can say that 1 is easier then 2 and 2 is easier than 3. Please don't get offended mothers of 1. I am not saying that having only 1 child isn't hard at times. You are not any less of a mother with 1. I'm just saying it's not as hard as having more than 1 child. 

It was 3:00 in the morning when I was writing this out on paper. I got woke up for the second or third time that night and I sometimes have a very hard time falling back to sleep after I get woke up. Kate had been fussing on and off all night and I was seeing if she would fall back to sleep without me having to go in there again.. But if its not one child its another. Some nights all three take turns waking me up! I can get so frustrated with them. Emma also woke up while I was writing this wanting a drink of water. Then there are nights that they quietly get into bed or couch next to me and want to cuddle. It just melts my heart! I could just watch them sleep all night. That's why I don't co-sleep with them. I have a really hard time sleeping. I do co-sleep for the first couple of months, just because they are so new and it makes nights nursing a lot easier.

As for the house when you have kids... I have a sign that says "My house was clean last week. Sorry you missed it." But really I need a sign that says "My house was clean 5 minutes ago. Sorry you missed it." 

As you watch your baby grow and think it goes by way too fast. It does! Time just starts really flying by when you have kids. My kids are still young and I can't imagine them as teens, but it will be here before I know it and a whole new adventure in parenting will start.

Baby Lily

 

Baby Emma

 Baby Kate

Three crazy girls!